County clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky Kim Davis returned to work Monday, saying she will not issue any marriage licenses that go against her religious beliefs. However, she left the door open for her deputies to continue to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, as long as those documents do not have Davis’ name or title on them. She will not step her deputy clerks from issuing same sex marriage licenses; however, Davis is stating that they are not valid.

Kim Davis, county clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky, returned to work Monday, saying she will not issue any marriage licenses that go against her religious beliefs — but she left the door open for her deputies to continue to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, as long as those documents do not have Davis’ name or title on them.

Davis acknowledged that she is not sure on the legality of licenses altered in such a way.

Davis spent five days behind bars this month for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses — something she is legally obligated to do under state and federal law.

Kentucky clerk Kim Davis says marriage licenses are being issued in Rowan County without her authority and she wants her name and title removed.

Choking back tears this morning at a news conference before her return to work, a defiant Davis said she is faced with a “seemingly impossible choice … my conscience or my freedom,” referring to her opposition to same-sex marriages.

She added: “I’m no hero.”

Despite her assertion that her deputies don’t have her authority to issue marriage licenses, Rowan County Deputy Clerk Brian Mason said he will continue issuing them today.

Davis also told reporters this morning that she wants the licenses to indicate that they are being issued under federal authority.

She returned to work today nearly one week after being released from jail for failing to issue marriage licenses over her religious objection to same-sex marriage.